Plitvice: Veliki Slap

Veliki Slap is the highest waterfall in the Plitvice National Park and is situated near Plitvica Selo at the end of the lakes, near entrance 1 of the national park, north of the big hotels. Veliki slap means the great waterfall and is the biggest waterfall in Plitvice National Park. The river Plitvice thunders, in a single drop, over 78 meters in the river Korana. This is the most beautiful part of the Plitvice National Park, certainly when standing at the river side at entrance 1 (Ulaz 1) when having a great view on Veliki slap and the end of the lakes. Due to a lack of research I missed the most beautiful viewpoint of all…..

There are several ways to go to Veliki slap:
1.) park the car at entrance 1 and a short walk brings you to a beautiful viewpoint and the base of Veliki slap
2.) follow the signs Plitvica Selo (north of the main entrances take road 42 towards Poljanak/Saborsko and follow the signs Plitvica Selo. When crossing a small bridge, there is a sign (at the left side of the road) “Veliki Slap”. You can park the car for free and walk in a few minutes to the fall. This part of the park has no entrance fee, but if you walk further on you have to buy a ticket at one of the entrances.

Most people talk about the Plitvice waterfalls as one waterfall, but over a length of 9 kilometers the river Korana cascades down over 158 meters creating dozens of waterfalls.

There are three main entrances (Ulaz) for the park, all a great starting point for a day trip at the Plitvice lakes. Incidentally, there were long queues for tickets at entrance I and II. Down at entrance III there was none.

Our hotel was located in Plitvice Selo, a great starting point for a walk where few people know about. It is a little further away if you come from the south, but north of Plivicka Jezero there is a road with number 42 towards Poljanak / Saborsko, take this. After several kilometer there is a crossing where you should go left to Plitvice Selo. Follow the road for a few kilometers until you sea a plate with “no cars allowed”, where the road bends to the right. Park the car here (for free). From here you can walk down to entrance III or stay upstairs and walk first to the large waterfall (Veliki Slap) along the gorge with stunning viewpoints. At the end you descend to the base of Veliki slap.

Since we had not bought tickets we walked back the same way to entrance III, bought tickets and took the boat across the lake. From here we walked along dozens of waterfall, all lakes last until the starting point of the bus. Here it is (literally) fighting for a spot in the bus. There is no queue and the law of the strongest prevails when the bus is approaching. After 30-40 minutes we were finally lucky and went all the way back towards entrance I.

National Park Plitvička Jezera (Plitvice Lakes) is the largest national park of the country (295 km2) and is since 1949 on the Unesco list of world heritage. The park is known for their cascades and their tufa formations and travertines. National Park Plitvička Jezera (Plitvice Lakes) consist out of 16 lakes connected to each other forming small or bigger cascades/waterfalls in between the lakes which are located on different altitudes. The sixteen lakes are separated into the upper and lower lakes.

The biggest waterfalls in the National Park Plitvička Jezera (Plitvice Lakes) is Veliki Slap with its 78 meters, located at the lower lakes and Galovacki buk with its 25 meters (single drop) at the upper lakes. The number of waterfalls is hard to mention but it must be more the a few dozen.